Freeze Watch Issued For Bel Air

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — As temperatures drop this weekend, the National Weather Service issued a freeze watch for parts of northern and central Maryland, including Bel Air.

During the freeze watch period — which takes effect late Sunday night and runs through Monday morning — temperatures may drop as low as 30 degrees, according to forecasters.

Two things may be at risk during the freeze watch, officials said: plants and pipes.

Frost and freeze conditions may kill crops and other sensitive vegetation, so authorities advised bringing tender plants inside or covering them to protect them from the cold.

Outdoor plumbing may burst, so people should wrap, drain or drip slowly any water pipes outside, officials said.

The freeze watch is in effect from midnight to 9 a.m. on Monday, April 18, for these counties:

• Baltimore County (northern)
• Carroll County
• Cecil County
• Frederick County
• Harford County (northwest and southeast)
• Howard County (northwest)
• Montgomery County (northwest)
• Washington County

These towns in particular may be affected, according to the National Weather Service: Aberdeen, Jarrettsville, Ballenger Creek, Cockeysville, Damascus, Elkton, Eldersburg, Frederick, Germantown, Hagerstown, Lisbon, Reisterstown and Westminster.

Here is the forecast for Bel Air:

Saturday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., then scattered showers until 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradual clearing toward daybreak, with a low around 40. Northwest wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 51. Northwest wind 10 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Sunday Night: Widespread frost after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33. Northeast wind 5 to 7 mph.

Monday: Rain, mainly after 2 p.m. Widespread frost before 9 a.m. High near 50. Southeast wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Monday Night: Rain, mainly before 2 a.m. Low around 38. East wind 7 to 9 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent.

Tuesday: A chance of rain before 8 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 65.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 70.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.